Kate Garraway has shared a heartbreaking conversation she had with her 17-year-old daughter, Darcey, following Derek Draper’s death.
Derek sadly passed away at the age of 56 with Kate sharing the news in an Instagram post last Friday (5 January), that she was 'by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours'.
He passed away from complications of coronavirus, after first getting ill back in 2020, leaving behind wife, Kate, and their two teenage kids, Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
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Kate's heartbreaking Instagram statement began: "I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications."
The ITV presenter assured fans: "Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.
"I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.
"Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life."
Nearly a week after his passing, and Ben Shephard appeared on Good Morning Britain where he shared with viewers how Kate and the family were doing in the 'next stages' following Derek's death.
Sharing an emotional conversation that Kate had with Darcey just yesterday (10 January) when she told her she needed to go and register the death, Ben said: "They are in the next stages of working out what happens; there's a lot of admin to do when you lose someone. In that brilliant way yesterday, she said, 'I have to go out to go and register the death'.
"She told Darcey, 'I'm going to have to go out the house', and Darcey said, 'I know this is going to be really hard but can I make one suggestion?' She says, 'Course you can darling'.
"And then Darcey said, 'Can you take the Christmas jumper off and can you brush your hair?'
"She said to me the clocks stopped for us just before Christmas when Derek had that heart attack and she's just starting to come out of that.
"We all know that Kate in the run up to Christmas wears a new Christmas jumper every day, she supports the charity. And suddenly she realises yesterday that everything has been frozen in time since then.
"So now it's about the next part of his journey."
He also shared that Kate has received lots of support following her loss.
"It's been extraordinary," Ben added. "It's the first time I've been on sadly since we heard of Derek's passing last Friday.
"I just thought it would be alright to take a moment firstly on Kate's behalf - I spoke to Kate last night - she again reiterated what she said on Monday, which is a huge, huge thank you to everyone that has sent her and the family a message."
The presenter continued to tell viewers he's been 'stopped by people in the street', adding: "I was stopped by a woman who sadly lost her father that day who had been suffering for a long time with dementia and said my dad has been ill for the same period as Derek has and we've watched Kate and her family and the courage they've shown go through the last four years.
"He had passed away not long after Derek had and she said it's been such a power of strength to see her and watch her and keep going. Stories like that and messages like that, it's been so overwhelming."
Ben carried on: "Kate said she can't explain how important that has been for her all the way for the last four years, that there has been so much support and what she has shared has had a huge impact.
"She said she's sort of in a strange bubble of her own numbness of grief. Her, Billy and Darcey are hunkering down together. Her amazing mum and dad are just remarkable.
"She's got all the right people around her. She wanted everybody to know she will be back as soon as she can."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: Celebrity, ITV, Kate Garraway, Health, Covid-19, Parenting
Rhiannon Ingle